England wary of Australia revival

11-24 September 2007

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ICC World Twenty20 Group B, Cape Town:
England v Australia
Match starts at 1300 BST Friday

England have a great chance to knock pre-tournament favourites Australia out of the ICC World Twenty20 when the two sides meet in Cape Town on Friday.

The pressure is all on Ricky Ponting's side following a shock defeat by Zimbabwe in their opening game.

Beating England would leave all three teams on two points and run-rate would decide which two progress.

"They are a great side and you never, ever, ever, ever underestimate them," England batsman Kevin Pietersen said.

"Australia have world-class players in their team and it doesn't take them long to turn things around. But we've got the upper hand in terms of the match practice we've had over the last six months to what they've had."

Pietersen, whose belligerent 79 helped England beat Zimbabwe by 50 runs on Thursday, admitted the prospect of sending Australia home early was one to savour.

"We were humiliated last winter by Australia, but we're in a position of strength where there's a possibility of us pretty much humiliating Australia.

"But I don't want to make it into something - that I'm saying this about Australia or that about Australia - because it's not. It's a permutation that could happen and if it happens, it happens, who knows?"

The failure of their top order is Australia's biggest concern, with Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and skipper Ricky Ponting all dismissed cheaply by Zimbabwe.

"It's been the same in the practice games as well when we've been two or three down for nothing, and you can't afford to do it.

"The first three batters, in particular, have got to pay a bit more respect to their own games, spend more time in the middle and score more runs," said Ponting.

Australia could bring in spinner Brad Hogg to add variety to their attack.

"We'll have a look at it. But the fast bowlers did a good job for us, the game was lost with our batting [against Zimbabwe]," Ponting added.

England thrashed Australia by 100 runs at Southampton in 2005 when the two sides first met under the Twenty20 format.

But it was a different story in Sydney in January when Australia came out on top by 77 runs after piling up a score of 221-5.

"They're going to try to come back hard at us, we know that as a dressing room," said England captain Paul Collingwood.

But he ruled out a cautious approach to try and protect their run-rate advantage.

"You have to treat it as a normal game. If you start being defensive and saying we mustn't get beaten by 50 runs that's where you get into trouble.

"We've got a very good team and if you go out there with the fearless attitude we've spoken about you can make big totals, it doesn't matter who you're playing against."

Source: BBC Sport